There are some similarities between having a cold and having the flu, but it is important to know the difference to determine if you need medical attention.

Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say because the flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses and have similar symptoms, it can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone.

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In general, the flu is worse than the common cold, and typical symptoms are more intense. Colds are usually milder than the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose.

Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, though having a cold can lead to sinus infections, asthma, bronchitis, ear infections and pneumonia.

Flu can cause all of those complications, and some other very serious complications, including inflammation of the heart, brain or muscle tissues and organ failure. The flu can lead to sepsis, a massive immune response to a bacterial infection that gets into the blood, which can lead to organ injury or failure. It can also cause pre-existing conditions such as asthma or chronic heart disease to turn deadly.

Special tests typically done within the first few days of illness can tell if a person has the flu.

If you opt to take Tamiflu or another antiviral medicine to try to lessen the severity of the flu, it must be taken within 48-72 hours of the symptoms showing up for it to be effective.

The symptoms of flu include:

Fever

Feeling feverish or having chills

Cough

Sore throat

Runny or stuffy nose

Muscle or body aches

Headache

Fatigue

Some people may also have vomiting and diarrhea

You should see a doctor if:

You have several of the symptoms associated with flu

You have any trouble breathing or chest pain

You have a deep cough with heavy phlegm

You (as an adult) have a fever of more than 100.4 that won’t go away

You have a fever that reaches 102

You can’t keep liquids down

You find swallowing extremely painful

You have a severe cough for more than two or three weeks

You take over-the-counter cold medicine, but it doesn’t help your congestion